In a step to add speed to the armoured elements of the Indian Army, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has inked a deal to buy Bridge Laying Tanks (BLT). The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Tuesday signed a contract with Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), a unit of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited (AVNL), for the procurement of 47 Tank-72 Bridge Laying Tanks (BLT) for the Indian Army at a total cost of Rs 1,560.52 crore. The contract was inked by the senior officials of MoD and HVF/AVNL in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi. The BLT is critical equipment that is employed to launch bridges during offensive/defensive operations by Mechanised Forces. The acquisition of this equipment will enhance mobility adding to the offensive capability in the battlefield. It provides integral bridging capability to the Tank and Armoured Vehicle fleet enhancing the battlefield mobility and offensive capability, the MoD said. Indian Army’s armoured Regiments are operating in extreme conditions including the hot deserts of the Western Borders with Pakistan and the freezing temperatures of the mountainous terrain of the Northern Borders with China. The present case being a Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) will give impetus to the Make-in-India initiative in defence. This project will also play a pivotal role in boosting the overall economy and increasing employment avenues in the country. In another important move to strengthen the armoured capabilities in the mountains, as reported earlier by TNIE, India is working to manufacture ‘Zorawar,’ India’s ambitious indigenous project to design and develop Light Weight Tanks (LWT) for sector-specific operational requirements. The tank is named after Zorawar Singh Kahluria, the famed Military General of Dogra King Gulab Singh who was adept at mountain warfare. The prototypes’ firing performance was tested successfully in September last year. The Indian Army is known to have employed tanks in unexpected areas even while road communication was limited. Army’s armoured Regiments have served in 1962 war in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh, Haji Pir Pass and Zojila Pass. The Tanks, including the T-72, are deployed in the Eastern Ladakh where the tensions prevail with more than a lakh combined troops of India and China positioned astride the 832 km long LAC in Eastern Ladakh.
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